Metallic lithium is used as anode material in various types of lithium batteries, in particular the so-called post lithium-ion batteries, for example lithium-sulfur and/or lithium-oxygen cells or batteries.
However, in metallic lithium anodes, parasitic reactions with the electrolyte or materials contained therein, for example polysulfides in the case of a lithium-sulfur cell, may take place, as the result of which the lithium and also the electrolyte, for example, may become depleted.
To prevent this, a protective layer which has a sufficiently high lithium ion conductivity and prevents direct contact between the metallic lithium and the electrolyte may be provided on the metallic lithium anode. However, these types of protective layers function properly only as long as they have no defects such as cracks, holes, etc. As soon as a defect site has developed, metallic lithium, for example in the form of dendrites, which may be deposits at the defect site, since the increased resistance otherwise associated with the protective layer is not present at that location. For this reason, defects may even increase in size once they have developed.